UC fees to increase next year

With the $500 million budget reduction plan proposed by Governor Jerry Brown in play for the University of California, students who are attending and those who plan on attending will face many financial issues.

On Jan. 11, Brown announced his plan to balance the deficit California had gotten itself into. He stated with a solemn face that these budget cuts will be “very difficult” but altogether necessary.

UC will have to plan out a system that works without the help of $500 million. This enormous cut will include financial aid, transportation (bus services), housing, food and many other accommodations that alleviate the life of college students.

These budget cuts will force UC to reduce its acceptance rate. However, the UC system is planning to raise the tuition fees another 8 percent for the 2011 – 2012 school year. This increase will approximately raise the tuition by another $1,000.

Brown’s proposed state general fund budget will return UC to 1998 funding levels when the system enrolled only 161,400 students, 73,600 fewer than today’s enrollment of 235,000 students. This means that those students who were not accepted into UCs will most likely try their luck in the California State University system. However, this makes the CSU situation even harder because of its own budget cuts. For this reason, many students have veered away from the path of college and have turned to other methods of making a living.

Many CVHS seniors have been worried about the situation about financial aid and the rising costs of attending a public university. Senior Judy Tian told The Olympian that she would rather go to a private school than go to a UC.

“The prices are pretty much the same. When you compare a UC and a private, there isn’t much of a difference, and plus, there is more financial aid available at a private in many cases,” explained Tian.

As years go by, college professors and economists say that unless the California budget crisis gets resolved, prices will continue to rise. Many parents and students hope that they will be able to expand their careers through high level education and pursue their careers in the competitive game called life.